Work ‘ongoing’ on professional regulation framework – DoH

Work is “ongoing” in the Department of Health (DoH) to develop a framework to guide policy on the regulation of health and social care professionals into the future.

“The framework will modernise our approach to professional regulation both in terms of how decisions are made regarding professional regulation and the ways in which we regulate professions,” a DoH spokesperson told the Medical Independent (MI).

“Development of the framework is a multi-year project requiring research, careful consideration, and significant engagement with relevant stakeholders,” they added. “The issues to be considered regarding the proportionate degree of regulatory force required to protect the public are complex. This framework will also be informed by an evidence and risk-based approach to regulation in line with requirements set out in the EU Proportionality Test Directive.”

The spokesperson did not provide any specific comment on the potential future regulation of physician assistants (PAs).

The HSE recently published the Independent Review of the role of Physician Assistant in the Irish Public Health System. The matter of regulation was outside the scope of the review.

“This is a matter for the DoH, as the decision to regulate a role, or even to consider a role as a candidate for regulation, falls within its remit,” according to the review.

In its feedback to the review, the DoH outlined that statutory regulation was not a status designation, but a risk-based public protection mechanism, and must be considered in line with the national framework under development.

“The DoH noted that many professions in the health sector are not statutorily regulated and that regulation should not be assumed unless clearly warranted by risk and public safety considerations.”

The DoH informed MI the HSE is commencing the implementation phase arising from the PA review. This work is focused on strengthening governance, role clarity, and “national consistency”.

Engagement is ongoing between the HSE and DoH to facilitate a recruitment pathway for PAs. Once finalised, a new HSE grade code and salary scale will require approval from the DoH and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform, and Digitalisation. See news feature.